|
#TATTOOGATE2023 WAS WILD, IS THIS A GOOD TIME TO TALK ABOUT MONEY!? Thanks to a handful of egomaniacs without morals, many of my clients have recently brought up their concerns about certain standards in the industry developing and tattoos becoming extremely more expensive and or coming with hidden costs. So I thought I would take a minute to discuss my standards of practice and approach to exiting alongside other humans trying to survive in this nightmare place. Obviously the case that started this outrage is an extreme one. A particular artist was called out as exploitive for charging $160 for a consultation, and $1,500 - $2,000 for an extremely basic sketch of a tattoo. Indeed this is is off the rails, and I have seen disturbing yet less extreme cost trends pop up around me as well. Im fully for the move away from worker exploitation in tattoo shops and elsewhere but tactics like these are not only immoral, they rot your brain and ego pretty quickly. Social media has made it easy for some tattooers to get away with exploiting clientele with very little tattoo experience. So remember that a large following does not equal quality of work, and research pays off. Personally I believe practices like charging for 10 - 20 minute consultations, as well as charging “Booking Fees” that do not go towards the price of your tattoo, are classist, and really start things off with an imbalanced power dynamic. Many of these tactics are meant to ensure a mainly wealthy clientele, and intimidate folks into not questioning an artists policies. If you don’t feel good about or welcomed by a tattooer, trust your gut and find someone else. This is not to say I don’t think things ARE going to or SHOULD change in the tattoo industry, but thats a different conversation. anyways… YES! TATTOOS ARE EXPENSIVE, BUT WITHIN REASON! Making $200+ per hour seems pretty cush, but there is a lot of unseen expense and time that goes into tattooing and keeping the lights on. Thanks to inflation/late stage capitalism prices for tattoos ARE going to rise. And perhaps it’s helpful to break down how we get these numbers and where the cost of your tattoo goes… 30% of our income goes to state, local, federal taxes Studio rent or dues per tattoo paid out to a shop owner are anywhere from 20-50% of customer price (our shop rent also increases yearly) We are independent contractors without benefits, sick days, etc. So If we want healthcare, we pay that ourselves On top of rising supply costs, at our shop we also pay for business insurance, utility bills, and yearly licensing and classes/etc that go towards required continuing education credits in Oregon. There are also hundreds of “unpaid” hours spent cleaning every possibly germy surface, setting up, drawing, stenciling, emailing, researching for customs, and other administrative duties no one likes to do. Oh and lets not forget transaction fees for venmo/paypal/credit cards etc.. Cash is very much appreciated! Ooof, it really adds up. I guess we should address tipping also? Its never expected, always appreciated, and theres no set percentage rule as in the service industry. we already know where our hourly is going, and I personally think of tips as helping out with a much needed healthy lunch/dinner, insurance for a sick day, or a ride to work when our car breaks down. In the end, I hate having to change my rates, I am scared to lose the lovely clients I have, and I hope this helps clarify the need. Its also detrimental for survival to afford a little free time with family and friends, read books, make art and take care of yourself without the devil on your shoulder whispering “time is money”
|
